Indochino: Going Online to Get Custom

Late last year Kyle Vucko, one of the co-founders of the online custom tailor Indochino, contacted Off The Cuff about reviewing one of their suits. I had heard of the company and read about their innovative business model in the Wall Street Journal. I had also read some other reviews, all of which generally have a positive bent.

After chatting at length with Kyle about the ordering process, reimbursement of follow-up tailoring expenses and their total satisfaction guarantee, I agreed to give it a try.

Indochino donated the suit to OTC, so it cost me nothing; however there still aren’t too many places where you get a custom suit for around $400 dollars in less than a week. I chose a navy two-button, notched lapel, single breasted suit with double vents. I also added pick stitching, surgeon cuffs and purple lining.

The suit, yes. Me, no.The online ordering process is very easy, though it takes longer than you might think to actually take all the measurements – and you definitely need someone to take them for you. In my case it was a very patient wife. If you need help along the way, each step has a short video to walk you through the process. Once you are done, your online profile can be used to speed you through future orders.

The suit arrived very quickly, in less than one week. Given that it was made in Shanghai, that’s pretty impressive. I suspected that the likelihood of it fitting perfectly right out of the box was slim, and it turns out I was correct. The collar was way off – the result of a tight fit across the shoulder blades – and the pants’ waist too big. I took some pictures and e-mailed them off to the company. After a quick consult with the Indochino tailors a new suit was cut and whisked off to me. The new one is pretty much perfect and I wear is regularly.

Though I have not yet ordered another suit, I can always keep my measurements and preferences up to date in the online profile. While I look forward to the day that I can go to OTC contributor Jon Green for a bespoke suit, I am happy to say that my Indochino suit is very comfortable and regularly garners some darn good compliments.

You should note that their basic cut is clearly modern: shorter jacket, trimmer fit, 18-inch leg openings, narrower lapel. That said, you can alter and tweak pretty much anything to your preference. I am not a 20-something – not even a 30-something anymore; and that is their target demographic. So, I took some time and modified the suit to fit my frame and desired look, and it works on me. Without a doubt, I will be adding to my Indochino wardrobe.

Indochino is not competing with Savile Row or even the Ralph Lauren’s of the wardrobing world. For some, these are clearly “starter” suits or fashion suits for the post college crowd. I take a different Instead approach – I think Indochino can make suits cool again for men who like clothes. My suit looks current, yes; but by no means is it overly modern. It is well made and will last for many years in both style and construction. More importantly, I can easily choose, customize and purchase a new suit in a very short amount of time at a very economical price. As a result, to me, my suits are no longer only for important meetings or getting dressed up. They can be a more integral part of my wardrobe.

I can order a couple of casually designed suits as well as several formal models for a relatively modest investment. I can make the suit part of my own signature; with or without a tie, cap toe dressy or Todd’s moccasin casual. Indochino opens up interesting new possibilities for men; possibilities that did not previously exist at this price point.

By no means will I abandon my local custom tailor, VM Clothiers; I see them as two very different resources. And Jon Green can sleep easy – he won’t lose any clients. But a new door is being wedged open and the Indochino team rightly sees a lot of potential upside.

Wall Street CollectionHaving a love of clothing and classic style should never preclude you from going online to track down new options and new resources. Whether it be Rugby.com to design your own custom rugby shirt or Indochino and a new suit from their very sharp and recently launched Wall Street Collection.

Below is a brand new video from Indochino showing how they make their suits – from the initial online order to the finished product heading off to the office. It’s very well done – take a look. By the way, the gentlemen you are about to see are not actors, they are Indochino’s master tailors, and yes, they really do dress that way every day. You can also find the video on their You Tube channel HERE.